2021 Spier Merlot Signature

Deep ruby red color. In the scent sweet fruit, cherries and berries, sweet wood, vanilla, toast, figs, licorice, caramel and a hint of smokiness. Nicely fresh in the taste, fruit and juice, cherries, berries, wonderfully supple, warm and sultry, not so many tannins, but a pleasant firmness. Delicious with game dishes, oriental beef, pasta dishes with meat sauce.

The roots of the house Spier go back to the early years of the colony on the Cape, in 1692. In that year the original farm in Stellenbosch was founded by the German settler Arnout Janz. He was also the one who realized that the soil was very suitable for viticulture, and planted the first vines. The first grapes were pressed, and the Old Cellar, built in 1767, is one of the Cape's oldest wineries. It is still the proud possession of the domain. Today, Spier is one of South Africa's most innovative wineries with a cellar that has been modernized and expanded in recent years to fulfill its great ambitions. And in the same light we must see the expansion of the vineyard area, where the full control of a large team of experienced and talented winemakers is present under the leadership of the chief winemaker, Frans Smit.

For the Merlot, the producers in South Africa have to go to somewhat cooler vineyards, to make a wine that has a typical Merlot character. In South Arika it quickly becomes too sweet, and you can also sometimes find a light form of vegetableity, because too much heat blocks the ripening. The fruit at the base of this wine comes from soils with a lot of clay, which hold the water well. That is also important for the maturation of the Merlot. After a cold soak, to give the wine fruit and color, it ferments at a low temperature, at 24°C, again for the fruit. During fermentation, the wine is pumped regularly over the skins, also to give it more color and ripe tannins. It is completed by maturing 20% in French oak barrels for about 8 to 10 months, depending on the vintage. This creates more depth and complexity. The rest of the wine is aged in stainless steel with French oak bars, which give it some extra wood aroma. Wood and fruit remain perfectly in balance.

The wines of the Spier Estate in Stellenbosch are produced organically (not certified) which means that no fertilizers, chemical pesticides and no pesticides such as herbicides are used.